PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING

Hello Forumites! In order to help keep the Forum a useful, safe and friendly place for our users, discussions around non-MoneySaving matters are not permitted per the Forum rules. While we understand that mentioning house prices may sometimes be relevant to a user's specific MoneySaving situation, we ask that you please avoid veering into broad, general debates about the market, the economy and politics, as these can unfortunately lead to abusive or hateful behaviour. Threads that are found to have derailed into wider discussions may be removed. Users who repeatedly disregard this may have their Forum account banned. Please also avoid posting personally identifiable information, including links to your own online property listing which may reveal your address. Thank you for your understanding.

We'd like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum. This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are - or become - political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.
We're aware that dates on the Forum are not currently showing correctly. Please bear with us while we get this fixed, and see Site feedback for updates.

New build flat, the roof is sagging

snowqueen555
snowqueen555 Posts: 1,549 Forumite
Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
edited 4 January 2024 am31 12:24AM in House buying, renting & selling
Hi, I'm currently buying a new build flat, mortgage application is going through and paid the conveyancer for searches. The property has a professional consultant certificate and not a structural warranty. Anyway, I noticed the flat has a sag in the roof which is ridiculous because it's a new roof just put on this year. The developer has said a bit of sag is fine, this will be signed off by building control and the architects certificate.

Basically should I walk away from this because there is no structural warranty so the leaseholders would be liable for repairs. As it's a flat there would be collective buildings insurance however their coverage may not cover a roof replacement. This is a bit of a pain as I've been searching for 18 months now, to pull out again and lose money is a kick in the teeth but I feel like the right decision? As I've paid I may as well wait until I get all the paperwork to look at, and then question building control and the architect about roof and see what responses I get back. I have posted on other websites, the general consensus is to walk away.

It's the middle roof by the way, I would be in the 1st floor and there is a loft flat above me.

https://imgur.com/5hFgANe
«13

Comments

  • FreeBear
    FreeBear Posts: 17,370 Forumite
    Ninth Anniversary 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    A sagging roof line on an old building is called character - As long as it is structurally sound, it should be fine.
    I'd be more concerned with what the ground floor will be used for - Looks like a prime spot for commercial use such as a fast food joint. Quite likely that all three ground floor units are earmarked for commercial use - This could seriously impact on the value of your flat and limit the number of potential buyers when you come to sell.
    Her courage will change the world.

    Treasure the moments that you have. Savour them for as long as you can for they will never come back again.
  • Emmia
    Emmia Posts: 4,655 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Fourth Anniversary Photogenic Name Dropper
    I have to agree, the likelihood of the ground floor being non-residential and currently empty so unknown in terms of occupiers, (do you want to live over a noisy, smelly open all hours takeaway?) would put me off, along with the roof sag.

    Ultimately, you'll at some point be selling what you buy, I'd avoid anything that may have issues making it difficult to resell.
  • eddddy
    eddddy Posts: 17,539 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper

     As it's a flat there would be collective buildings insurance however their coverage may not cover a roof replacement. 

    Just to clarify... Buildings insurance typically covers loss or damage caused by events specified in the policy like:
    • fire, explosion, storms, floods, earthquakes
    • theft, attempted theft and vandalism
    • frozen and burst pipes
    • fallen trees, lampposts, aerials or satellite dishes
    • subsidence
    • vehicle or aircraft collisions

    So if the roof was damaged by any of those things once you have insurance is in place, it should be repaired (or replaced, if necessary) by the insurers.

    It's unlikely that the sagging was caused by any of those, and in any case the sagging has already occurred.  You can't take out insurance to cover something that has already occurred.



    And generally, if the roof needs repairing or replacing due to things like
    • age
    • wear and tear
    • gradual damage (e.g. rot or woodworm)
    • poor workmanship
    • poor materials
    ... none of those things are generally covered by buildings insurance policies.



  • bobster2
    bobster2 Posts: 798 Forumite
    Sixth Anniversary 500 Posts Name Dropper
    FreeBear said:
    A sagging roof line on an old building is called character - As long as it is structurally sound, it should be fine.

    Indeed. But this looks like it could be an entirely new roof (as part of a loft conversion) stuck on top of an old building. 
    So I wonder why middle one is sagging but similar new roof to the right is not sagging?

    Wouldn't it be normal to replace the roof timbers as part of loft conversions like these?
  • snowqueen555
    snowqueen555 Posts: 1,549 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    edited 4 January 2024 am31 10:07AM
    The roof sag has occurred after the new roof was installed (I looked on google streetview history), and notice it is only one of the roofs and not the other two which were all done together. I have posted this on some diy forums, the consensus is that the loft conversions was done shoddily or calculations are not correct. Either way a new roof shouldn't be sagging. The structure wasn't completely replaced, but reinforced and certain beams were replaced

    The bottom will be made into flats so its all been turned to residential.

    Okay so sounds like any future problems with the roof would be footed by the leaseholder, with no warranty and the fact that buildings insurance doesn't cover it. 

    I could pay for a roof survey to be done, the issue with that is I have never found a new build developer who would allow surveyors in before sale.
  • The roof sag has occurred after the new roof was installed (I looked on google streetview history), and notice it is only one of the roofs and not the other two which were all done together. I have posted this on some diy forums, the consensus is that the loft conversions was done shoddily or calculations are not correct. Either way a new roof shouldn't be sagging. The structure wasn't completely replaced, but reinforced and certain beams were replaced

    The bottom will be made into flats so its all been turned to residential.

    Okay so sounds like any future problems with the roof would be footed by the leaseholder, with no warranty and the fact that buildings insurance doesn't cover it. 

    I could pay for a roof survey to be done, the issue with that is I have never found a new build developer who would allow surveyors in before sale.
    It's not really "new build" is it - it's a renovation/conversion.
    If the developer will not permit you to have your own fully independent roof survey carried out - I would walk away.
  • gwynlas
    gwynlas Posts: 2,062 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    As there is such  noticeable sag I am amazed that the developer has not tried  to get it rectified already and I would certainly walk rather than accept this. if they are happy with  this issue then how can you be sure that they have not skimped on other areas in order to maximise their profits?
  • I walked away from a terrace house with a similar looking problem.

    My specialist survey said that they have used the wrong type of tiles for the roof (originally slate so modern concrete ones were too heavy) without reinforcing the roof. In my case it would have required either the whole lot coming off and reinforcing or replacing the heavy concrete ones with something more suitable. Being that I'm in the north, the house only was up for sale for £60k so redoing a roof again would have cost farm more to do than it would have added in value. That made it an easy choice for me!
  • bobster2 said:
    The roof sag has occurred after the new roof was installed (I looked on google streetview history), and notice it is only one of the roofs and not the other two which were all done together. I have posted this on some diy forums, the consensus is that the loft conversions was done shoddily or calculations are not correct. Either way a new roof shouldn't be sagging. The structure wasn't completely replaced, but reinforced and certain beams were replaced

    The bottom will be made into flats so its all been turned to residential.

    Okay so sounds like any future problems with the roof would be footed by the leaseholder, with no warranty and the fact that buildings insurance doesn't cover it. 

    I could pay for a roof survey to be done, the issue with that is I have never found a new build developer who would allow surveyors in before sale.
    It's not really "new build" is it - it's a renovation/conversion.
    If the developer will not permit you to have your own fully independent roof survey carried out - I would walk away.
    It's not built from scratch, but renovations like this is classed as a new build by the seller and the bank as it has been gutted and rebuilt.

    Yeah I am thinking that too.
  • I walked away from a terrace house with a similar looking problem.

    My specialist survey said that they have used the wrong type of tiles for the roof (originally slate so modern concrete ones were too heavy) without reinforcing the roof. In my case it would have required either the whole lot coming off and reinforcing or replacing the heavy concrete ones with something more suitable. Being that I'm in the north, the house only was up for sale for £60k so redoing a roof again would have cost farm more to do than it would have added in value. That made it an easy choice for me!
    Yes this is what some of the other posts have said. They would need to completely redo the job again and they don't want to do that.
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 348.4K Banking & Borrowing
  • 252.2K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 452.5K Spending & Discounts
  • 241K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 617.4K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 175.7K Life & Family
  • 254.2K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16K Discuss & Feedback
  • 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.